Effects of Speciation, Cooking and Changes in Bioaccessibility on Methylmercury Exposure Assessment for Contrasting Diets of Fish and Marine Mammals.

ABSTRACT: Uptake of the neurotoxicant monomethylmercury (MeHg) from fish and marine mammals continues to present a public health concern in Canada and elsewhere. However, fish and marine mammals are key diet items contributing to food security for some Indigenous populations in Canada. Mercury (Hg) exposure is estimated assuming that 100% of Hg is methylated, that 100% will be absorbed by the consumer and that cooking does not affect MeHg concentrations. Some of these assumptions do not correspond to our current state of knowledge. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of additional variables on Hg exposure equation using probabilistic risk analysis. New variables tested were (1) the proportion of methylated Hg compared to total Hg (pMeHg, %), (2) the relative absorption factor (RAF, %) exp

SUBMITTER: Charette T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7967378 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature